“You keep your fucking hands off Preston,” I snarled, bucking back against him, but he was too goddamn strong, and he had me at just the right angle that my movement was limited. Letting him get the upper hand on me was a rookie fucking mistake, one I knew better than to allow happen. This kind of mistake would get me killed in the fucking ring.
“Then I suggest you watch your back and keep your fucking mouth shut,” he quietly snapped. “And keep your fucking distance, X. Or I swear to fuck, I’ll make you watch as I get rid of your little boyfriend before I eliminate you, too.” Then, he pushed away from me and turned, calmly striding back toward the tattoo shop like nothing had happened. Like he hadn’t just threatened to end my life.
To end Preston’s life.
I might have been obsessed with Shane fucking Vernon, but if he came after Preston, I was going to slice him apart into so many little pieces, the coroner would never find all of his pieces. Like Humpty Dumpty, he would never be put back together again.
When I got home, Preston was asleep on the couch, the TV playing some cooking show. When Preston wasn’t watching boy love dramas, he watched cooking shows, and he loved trying out some of the things they cooked. And I got to eat everything, so it was a win-win situation.
I didn’t bother him as I headed for the bathroom, stripping out of my clothes on the way. The water was still freezing cold when I stepped beneath the spray, but it helped clear my head and regain focus, bleeding away some of the cold-blooded rage I was experiencing.
I hadn’t expected Shane to threaten an innocent. Me, yes. I saw that coming a mile a-fucking-way. But Preston? Sweet, loving, kind Preston, who would never harm a fly, much less an actual human being? He was off-fucking-limits. But Shane had seen a way to get under my skin, and he’d fucking taken it.
I’d keep my distance for a few days, even though I didn’t want to. I’d give the son of a bitch time to cool down and fall back into his neat little box. But then, I was coming in full speed ahead. Preston had said no to kidnapping, but I could do something similar, couldn’t I? After all, Preston’s life was now at stake.
Breaking into Shane’s little apartment above the tattoo shop and trapping him in his own bed until he caved wouldn’t be so bad if it meant I was protecting Preston, would it? Besides, by the time I was done with Shane, not only would Preston be safe, but Shane would be ours.
And that was always the end goal.
Chapter 6
Preston
“I’m sorry—what?” I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at X. He’d just come home and told me he’d gone to see Shane again, despite knowing he should have given it longer. He really had no patience, but he was going to run Shane off if he kept on like this—or worse, Shane was going to make him disappear. He sure had the means to do so, and then what?
I’d be left alone again, and fuck, I couldn’t go back to existing like I’d been before X. I needed him.
“I went to see him,” he repeated.
“You were supposed to give him space,” I reminded him, exasperated. “You can’t push a man like that, X. He’s not like me. Hell, he’s not even like the shady mother fuckers you fight.”
His eyes suddenly darkened, and the leather of our couch creaked beneath his grip when he gripped the arm. “I know,” he rumbled. “I played my cards too quickly.”
My heart dropped to my feet. X didn’t get truly angry over anything, but what he was exhibiting now? That was pure rage. What the hell had happened? Even in the ring, X was calm and collected. Completely chill. He was happy in the ring. But this… I’d never seen X like this before.
“X… what did you do?” I whispered. This was out of the norm for X. He didn’t get like this, even when other people were taunting him in the ring. Even when they used me as a way to try to rile him up. But standing in front of me now, he was furious. At Shane. At the man we both wanted.
And when X got angry, he got reckless. And reckless was dangerous.
“I didn’t do anything,” he told me. “Not to him.” He lifted his gaze to meet my eyes. “I swear, Preston. He’s fine. But when I told him what I know, he threatened your life.”
My gut churned, and my face paled. “What?” I breathed, choking on the single word. My blood ran cold, and goosebumps rose on my arms. I suddenly felt very cold. What the hell had X done?
He quickly erased the distance between us and gripped the back of my neck. He rested his forehead on mine and massaged my neck muscles. I closed my eyes, letting him ground me and hold me together, even though I was scared out of my mind. Would Shane really come after me?
“I will not let him touch you, Preston. I fucking swear it, you hear me?”
Even though my fingers were trembling, I opened my eyes and reached up, cupping his face in my hands. “Give him space, X,” I pleaded. He gritted his teeth, clearly not liking that idea. I stroked my thumbs over his cheeks, knowing it soothed him. “Please, X. Give him time to cool off. For my sake, at least.”
I knew the for me would get him to think about his actions. He ran his eyes over my face, and after a moment, he nodded, just as I knew he would. “Alright,” he rasped.
“Give me your word, X,” I pleaded. “Promise me.” X had never broken a promise to me yet, and I was counting on him not breaking this one.
Sighing, he nodded, though I knew he didn’t want to agree. But if X would do anything, he’d do what I really wanted him to. And I wanted him to give Shane space and let this situation cool off. “I promise.”
This was possibly the stupidest decision I could’ve made. X had remained at home with me for the past two days, saying he needed to be there to protect me in case Shane decided to hold true to his word. But after two days, I needed a little space, and X was getting restless. So, he went to train, and I decided to be the fucking insane one out of the two of us for once.
I stared up at the neon sign that named the shop Ink Rage and swallowed thickly. Who was being the reckless one now? I thought bitterly.